Something Much Greater
by VancouverCougar
Summary: Bella comes to the Cullens to get her cast off. But she comes to find that Carlisle is not there. Will she figure out where Carlisle is and why?


BPOV

Today's the day my cast comes off. I'm so excited. Carlisle said he would take it off this week and Charlie finally let me go to their house today. I'm so excited to get this thing off. I can't wait to drive with Edward in the car because I know it annoys him. Edward smiles and at me and takes my hand.

"What's got you so excited," He asked keeping his eyes on the road but not before giving me one of his dazzling smiles.

"I can't wait to get this thing off," I said.

"Well it won't be long because we're here," Edward said pulling into the driveway. I looked up at the house that had become like my second home. Edward helped me out much to my protests but he just flashed me that smile of his and I was a goner. We walked inside and to the kitchen. The other Cullens were playing poker.

"Hey Bella," Alice called from where she sat smiling.

"Hey Alice," I replied smiling.

"Hey where's Carlisle," Edward asked. Rosalie turned to her towards us and growled.

"It's the 20th Edward or did you forget," Rosalie snapped. I turned to look at Edward whose face was stone hard.

"What's the 20th," I asked.

"Bella come with me," Edward said before slinging me on his back and taking me to our meadow. I kept wondering all the Cullens looked normal but I could slightly see some pain in Esme's eyes. When we reached our meadow I turned to Edward who clearly looked as guilty for forgetting the date.

"Edward what's wrong," I asked.

"The one thing Carlisle ever asked me to do was to remember one date above all others," Edward said. He looked furious with himself.

"Edward what's wrong what's so special about today," Bella asked.

"Carlisle only told the others a censored version of his life," Edward said looking out deep into the woods.

"Why would he do that," I asked. Carlisle always seemed to me the type of man that would never keep anything from his family.

"He didn't want to see everyone's faces. He just wanted to forget. One day. Just one day every year he sets aside to remember," Edward said.

"Remember what," I asked.

"His life, everything before he met me," Edward said sitting down on the cool grass. I sat next to him and took his hand, to help comfort him.

"What was it," I asked.

"We call it Carlisle's dark day. I'm the only one who knows the extent of what he does. I begged Carlisle to tell me and he eventually did. But after that every time he went I stayed with the Denali clan no one else knows about this," Edward said.

"Knows about what," I asked.

"When Carlisle was a human he fell in love with a woman named Anne. She was the most beautiful woman he ever saw," Edward said.

"Where's she now," I asked.

"Bella let me finish please. His family was highly thought of where as she wasn't. To everyone she was nothing but to Carlisle she was everything. He started to disagree with his father's ideas. He started talking to Anne more and more eventually he fell in love with her and her with him. A two year secret courtship happened before he asked for her hand in marriage. They married in a small church in Italy," Edward said.

"That sounds romantic," I said. Carlisle disregarded his father and married Anne anyway. It sounds so magical.

"It wasn't all magical. Anne's father was Aro of the Volturi. He changed his own daughter shortly after he became one. Aro found out about Anne and Carlisle and demanded that Carlisle was changed. Anne refused not wanting to damn Carlisle. When Carlisle returned to his father's to gather his belongings; Aro tracked him down and turned him. Anne could feel his pain and ran to him. But it was too late. The venom had gone too far for her to suck it out," Edward said.

"What did Anne do," I asked.

"She taught him how to resist the blood of humans. It's one of the many reasons why Anne never joined the Volturi. Anne explained everything to Carlisle. He was upset at first but he knew that she never meant for him to be changed unless he knew everything. You see Anne had two powers. She could control fire and she could reproduce," Edward said.

"You mean she could have children," I asked. Edward nodded.

"Yes. Aro never really liked Carlisle he just tolerated him. When he found out that Anne was pregnant with Carlisle's child he was furious. He ordered Carlisle to be killed," Edward said.

"So Anne stopped it didn't she," I asked.

"She went after her father; Carlisle was carefully hidden with the Denali. When Anne reached Volterra she demanded to see her father. She saw him and demanded him to stay away from Carlisle. He of course refused. Anne threatened him and left Volterra to return to Carlisle. According to Carlisle, Anne's pregnancy was three months long," Edward said.

"Did they have a girl or a boy," I asked.

"Aro attacked and Anne was killed. It was so severe that she couldn't regenerate," Edward said.

"What happened to the baby," I asked.

"Carlisle knew that they were dead. Aro's attack had forced Anne to die along with the baby. She was supposed to go into labor the next day," Edward said.

"What did Carlisle do," I asked.

"He couldn't bear burning her so he buried her. Every year on January the 20th he goes to a forest in Italy by the sea and her grave is facing the sea. He goes there and stays for the whole day before returning to us. Anne was his mate," Edward said.

"Poor Carlisle," I said.

"The one thing he always remembers from his past is Anne. He has a portrait of them together somewhere in his office but I never try to look for it," Edward said.

"I can't imagine what I would do if I lost you," I said.

"Carlisle said he felt like killing himself but he knew that Anne always wanted him to live his life even as a vampire," Edward said.

"Is that why he always helps people, because of Anne," I asked. Edward nodded.

"He felt that if he couldn't help her then he would help others to make up for not helping her," Edward said. He looked up and saw that it was dark. Time passed so quickly.

"I should get you back Alice probably wants to talk you into shopping with her," Edward said before he put me on his back and ran back towards the Cullen House. On the way there I tried to think of ways to get out of shopping with Alice. When we got there Alice of course bombarded me and eventually convinced me to go shopping with her.

"Bella I'm going to go hunting with the others are you sure you'll be okay by yourself, Jasper will be home in twenty minutes," Edward said. I looked up and saw that it was midnight. Who the hell hunts at midnight?

"Fine," I said.

"Okay I love you," Edward said as he kissed me and left quickly. I groaned and looked at the clock again. Greta now I'm up. I got up off of Edward's couch and left. I passed Carlisle's office and stopped. He has a portrait of them together in his office but I never try to look for it. I went to the door and opened it. I'm surprised that Carlisle didn't lock it. I opened the door and walked inside. It looked like any other office. A bookshelf off to one side, a desk with a chair facing you as you walked in. I looked around for the portrait. I tried not to mess anything up but with my luck I knew it was a matter of time before I did. I slowly backed out of the room trying not to mess anything up knowing that if I didn't get out of here soon something bad was going to happen. I kept backing up until I hit something fuzzy. I turned to see a piece of black velvet. I noticed that it was just sitting on the bookshelf. I flipped it over and saw a little button. Being me naturally I pressed it. The bookcase turned and was replaced with a beautiful portrait. It had the prettiest woman I had ever seen on it. I saw Carlisle standing next to her. He looked so happy and he was smiling. He had his arms around the woman's waist and both were smiling. The woman must be Anne. Carlisle looked at with such adoration and love that I couldn't help but smile. Seeing them made me think about Edward and I. Anne died fighting for Carlisle for the man she loved. I vowed to do the same and fiight just as hard. I pressed the button again and the bookcase replaced the portrait once more. I left the office and never went back. When Carlisle came back and removed my cast I gave him a big hug and said thank you. He assumed it was for removing the cast but I knew that it was for something else. Something much greater.


End file.
